Such a press typically has a press body having a row of press frames that extends along a longitudinal press axis, and comprising an upper press platen and a lower press platen, where press cylinders supported on the press frames act on the upper or lower press platen. The press platens are heatable and thus identified as heating platens. The press cylinders, which are also identified as cylinder-piston arrangements, are typically provided in a plurality of rows that extend along the longitudinal press axis, each row having a plurality of cylinder-piston arrangements. The press cylinders are preferably provided in the form of hydraulic cylinders. This type of press, also identified as a single-daylight press, operates cyclically, i.e. the starting materials are introduced in cycles into the press (between the upper press platen and the lower press platen), and the press cycles open and closed. The press frames forming the press body are composed of cut-to-size sheet steels formed with windows.
Cycle presses of the above-described type are well known that are found in a wide variety of embodiments (see, DE 199 37 694 or DE 101 22 967). DE 101 22 967 describes a cycle press, in particular a short-cycle press for making particle board, fiberboard, plywood, or the like in which a pressure medium can act on the press cylinders, either individually and/or in predetermined groups, with application of the pressure on the press cylinders effected in a preprogrammed manner with a pressure medium distribution required for flatness of the upper press platen and as a function of at least the press platen temperature, press cycle rate, and the specific pressed product. The press in the described embodiment includes eleven transverse rows of press cylinders succeeding one another in the longitudinal press axis, each row in turn consisting of four press cylinders.
An ongoing problem involves inspecting and maintaining the individual components of the cycle press. This is true, in particular for the press cylinders. In order to perform maintenance work on the interior of the cylinders, it has typically been necessary, for example, to completely remove the press cylinders from the press. Since such action is relatively costly and can result in an extended downtime period for the entire press, alternative solutions have been proposed where the pistons can be removed from the casing from an installed cylinder (see DE 10 2004 033 484).
The cycle presses known in practice have proven basically successful. They are, however, capable of being improved. One particular problem is the fact that construction in configuring the press for especially high press pressures is so expensive that repair and maintenance work is possible only at huge expense. The invention seeks to provide a remedy here.